


John's Worst Nightmare

by Yukito



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-05-02 19:27:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14551782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yukito/pseuds/Yukito
Summary: Elizabeth is taken and John has to deal... (taken from Larkin's Idea and for her.)





	John's Worst Nightmare

**Author's Note:**

> Without giving anything away....there are some very unpleasant moments. So if you don't like reading dark stories... don't read this. 
> 
> From Season 1: the Storm/the Eye (sort of)

Elizabeth’s body tensed as Kolya’s rough hands grabbed a hold of her and pointed his pistol to her temple. Her eyes shot towards John with a terrified expression as the Genii military leader began to slowly move backwards towards the activated wormhole.   
  
“You’re not going anywhere.”   
  
John looked down the barrel of his P-90 at Kolya who was using Elizabeth as a human shield. The warning didn’t seem to affect Kolya who continued inching backwards towards the gate. John aimed the gun an inch higher.   
  
“I  _will_  shoot you, if you don’t let her go.”   
  
Kolya raised an arrogant eyebrow and pressed the barrel of his gun poignantly into Weir’s temple. “And risk hurting Doctor Weir?”   
  
John’s eyes narrowed stubbornly, “I’m not aiming at her.”   
  
He took the shot. The bullet flew through the negative space between them and connected into Kolya’s shoulder. Kolya started to stagger back, but he never let go of Doctor Weir. Instead, he used the momentum to grab a firmer hold of the woman and drag her through the gate.   
  
“Elizabeth!” John shouted as he took several quick strides to the gate, but the wormhole disconnected leaving John standing there in silence with his eyes unfocused, staring at the Stargate.   
  
\-----   
  
Ford pulled back a tattered piece of cloth that was once used as a door and entered the last house in the small, abandon village. He peered around the room gun first, until he was certain that no one was in there.   
  
“No one’s here.” Ford exited the one-room home and joined Sheppard who was squatting next to a pile of rumble that looked like it used to be a cart. When there was no response from him, Ford added, “Looks like no one’s been here for years.”   
  
“Maybe.” John slowly stood up from his position and took one more look around the village with an unreadable expression. Then he leaned reached for the comm. button on his radio. “Teyla, Rodney. You guys find anything?”   
  
There was a short crackle of static and then Teyla’s voice sounded from the speaker. “We have not. The –”   
  
“This is a total waste of time!” Rodney’s voice cut in. It sounded like he was a little out of breath, which meant they were now hiking through the forested area.   
  
“Rodney.” John’s voice was firm.   
  
“Look, I want to find Elizabeth as much as anyone, but she’s not here.”   
  
“Keep looking.” John was being stubborn   
  
“What?” An incredulous sounding Rodney came from the other end. “We’ve been at this for hours.”   
  
John’s body tensed subtly, “So another hour or so won’t kill you.”   
  
There was a small lull in the conversation and then Teyla’s calm voice sounded, “We have search the area extensively. I do not believe that Doctor Weir is here.”   
  
Rodney’s voice came after hers, “Obviously Kolya gated here and then dialled another address. I’ll upload what I can from the D.H.D. and hopefully figure out where he went.”   
  
John didn’t answer right away which sparked a out-of-breath Rodney to sound back through the radio, “Sheppard?”   
  
John didn’t want to leave. Even though he knew Elizabeth wasn’t on this planet, it felt like they were giving up and he couldn’t do that – not to her. His lips pressed together as Ford spoke behind him, “Sir?”   
  
John tapped on the radio again, “Ya, okay. You and Teyla head back to the gate. Ford and I will be there soon.”   
  
Teyla acknowledged John’s order and the radio went dead again. John’s eyes drifted over the village, over the remaining rumble, wishing that this had been where Kolya had been. It was Ford who pulled him out of his thoughts again. “We’ll find her.”   
  
John’s eyes remained steady somewhere far off as he replied in a slow, calculated voice. “Yeah.”   
  
\-----   
  
Her eyes fluttered open and she was met in darkness. It took her a moment to gather herself before she realized she was in a small concrete room. The floor was cold on the palms of her hands as she slowly clamoured to her feet. When she had went through the gate, someone had drugged her, and she was still a little woozy from it now. Her hands slide slowly across the wall, until it reached the corner and did the same. Nothing. There was nothing in the room or on the walls except for a small, book-size barred window on a heavy door.   
  
The hallway outside was dimly lit which made it hard for Elizabeth to peer outside of the room. It was bad enough she was on her tip-toes and she still could hardly see over the end of the window. Her breath caught as she thought she saw a shadow move.   
  
“Hello?” Her voice was quiet, but it carried in the darkness. When there was no reply, Elizabeth increased her volume, “Hello??”   
  
Again there was no answer, but she could hear that someone had shifted their weight. Someone was out there, probably guarding her room. “I want to talk to whoever is in charge.” A slight pause, “Hello?!”   
  
Elizabeth pushed off the door in frustration and pressed her palms on one of the walls, leaning as she gathered her thoughts. How long had she been out? Where was she? Did Atlantis even know where she was? She turned and pressed her back to the wall then slid down to the ground. Propping her knees up, she rested head in her arms.   
  
\---------   
  
“Anything?” John double-stepped the stairs leading from the Gate Room to the Control Room and looked expectantly at the Canadian Astrophysicist who sat hunched over a laptop. He waited for a moment to pass and there was still no answer from the scientist who was busying tapping away at the keyboard. John’s lips pressed together and he tried to control the irritation that seeped out in his voice, “Rodney.”   
  
Rodney peeled his eyes off of the screen to look at Sheppard, but didn’t say anything which left John to add, “Have anything?”   
  
John instantly regretted asking when he saw the expression on McKay’s face sink. Rodney shook his head, “Nothing.”   
  
“Nothing?” John gave Rodney an incredulous look, “It’s been four days Rodney. Four days. And you’re telling me you haven’t figured out where Kolya took Elizabeth?”   
  
Rodney looked a little offended, but simply gestured to the laptop in front of him. “It’s not like I can just plug in the information and get the address. The D.H.D was never designed that way. I have like, fifty-something addresses to work with. Trying to pinpoint which one was dialled when is extremely difficult,” Rodney threw in at the end under his breath, “if not downright impossible.”   
  
“Just find her Rodney.”   
  
\-------   
  
The door to her cell was opened startling Elizabeth awake. She squinted at the harsh light that filtered in the room and it a moment for her eyes to adjust. Her heart skipped a beat, “John?” but then the figure came into view – Genii. A small frown formed on her pale, parched lips. It had been three days since she’d last seen food or water and even then, it had only been a foul-smelling and equally foul-tasting broth in a cup pushed through the small window. This was the first time since she got here that she saw another human being.   
  
The soldier didn’t speak to her. Instead, he stepped forward, grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her to her feet. The sudden change in position caused her blood to rush to her feet making her feel light-headed. She staggered for a moment, but with the help of the persistent guard, she found her footing. Elizabeth took this time to look at the man. He was young, Ford’s age, but he had this hate in his eyes. She wondered if this was what happened to people who grew up in the Pegasus Galaxy under the wrath of the Wraith.   
  
The Genii caught her staring and pushed to the wall. Elizabeth held out her hand to brace herself as she hit the wall harder than she expected. She didn’t turn around, but heard the rustling of cloth and then her eyes were covered and she was in darkness again.   
  
\--------   
  
A defeated and utterly disappointed McKay stood in front of the briefing room with a tablet in hand. “I’ve only been able to narrow the list of addressed to thirty plants.” His frown deepened, “I-I’m sorry.”   
  
Teyla notice Major Sheppard tense as Rodney finished his briefing. She had never seen him this way before - stiff and stark throughout the entire meeting. It was as if his mind were elsewhere and yet, she knew this was important to him. Her train of thought was broken as Colonel Bennett leaned forward.   
  
“Thank you, Doctor McKay.” He was a tall African-American who had chiselled features that made him lot stern and foreboding. His voice was deep and assertive and it resonated within the briefing room. His eyes turned to the rest of Sheppard’s team.   
  
“We’ll just have to search each one until we find her.” John slowly pulled his eyes off the top of the table and looked up at his team who were all looking at him questioningly.   
  
Colonel Bennett’s brow creased as he regarded John Sheppard, “I’m sorry Major, but I can’t authorize that.”   
  
John turned his face to look at Bennett’s. The question ‘why not’ was written blatantly on his face.   
  
Colonel Bennett leaned forward in his chair slightly, talking to John directly, “I can’t afford to spread our resources so thin. Right now we have to make sure we are prepared for the Wraith. This city is defenceless right now.”   
  
Sheppard folded his arms over his chest, “Then my team will check out the planets.”   
  
“Negative.”   
  
“Why not?” If John hadn’t caught himself in time, he would have jumped out of his seat. Instead, he teetered on the edge of the chair. He took a breath to try and calm himself down. His teeth were clenched as he spoke, “With all due respect – sir –” John had forced himself to add the title in, “Elizabeth is a valuable member of this expedition and –”   
  
“I’m not disagreeing with you Major.” Colonel Bennett had cut him off and placed his hands decisively on the table-top. “But right now our resources are needed else where. I’m not saying we’re going to give up looking for her. You can still search for her while performing standard missions.”   
  
“But–”   
  
“Dismissed.”   
  
John shot Colonel Bennett a look, but didn’t say anything back. He pushed off his chair and marched out of the briefing room – he needed to go for a run.   
  
\-----   
  
Elizabeth sat in a slightly larger, though still sparse, room. In front of her on a large table were various fruits, vegetables, and meat along with wine and water. At first she hadn’t touched the food, partly because the food might be poisoned, but mostly out of spite. However three days without food or water was a long time and so she had taken pieces here and there of food that resembled food back on Earth.   
  
She had also taken the time she was alone in the room to walk around the walls like she had done in the smaller one and found that this cell was also solid with no way out except for the one door. So now she sat and waited – what for she didn’t know.   
  
The door behind her opened and she turned to see who came through the door. Her face sank as she registered Kolya’s smug face looking down at her. She frowned as he and two Genii soldiers entered and closed the door behind them. The two men stayed beside the door as Kolya rounded the table. His shoulder was bandaged and his arm was in a sling from Sheppard’s bullet. Inwardly this made Elizabeth smile.   
  
“I see you’ve enjoyed some of our specialties.” He gestured to the table.   
  
Elizabeth folded her arms and looked Kolya straight in the eyes, “What do you want Kolya. You know I won’t tell you anything.” She sounded a lot more confident than she actually felt.   
  
Kolya straightened up, “Doctor Weir. You should know that it was never my intention to hurt any of you.”   
  
Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed, “No. You just wanted to take over Atlantis and leave us on some planet somewhere.”   
  
Kolya acknowledged her statement with a half-grin before moving closer to Elizabeth and leaning on the table. “You should also know I am not one to let go of grudges so easily.” His eyes darkened, “Sheppard deserves to pay for injuring me, among other things.”   
  
She wasn’t aware of what she said until it came out of her mouth, but it did and she struggled to maintain the confident, unafraid composure she had had up ‘til now. “It’s too bad he missed.”   
  
This seemed to piss off the Genii commander as he pushed off the table and stalked about the empty room for a minute or two before turning around to Doctor Weir again. He approached the table again and addressed her from the opposite side, “I’m not foolish. I will not attempt my retribution until my wound heals.”   
  
Elizabeth heard the soldiers behind her step forward behind her chair as Kolya leaned on the table, “However, there are other ways to hurt Sheppard until then.”   
  
_John kept his eyes in front of him as he jogged down a corridor and then up the next. His mind was racing and it was as if his feet were trying to catch up with him. He swerved in and out of people in the hall._    
  
The food on the table was pushed aside, giving way to a large, flat surface. Elizabeth tensed as she felt the two soldiers’ hands on her. They forced her up and over the table so that she was on her back looking up at the ceiling. Their hands were strong, holding her down. Elizabeth was struggling for composure as her heart pounded.   
  
_John ran across the balcony on the open pier, and then weaved between two scientists as he entered the next hallway. He was beginning to feel his heart-rate rising as he began to run faster._    
  
“What’s the matter Doctor Weir? No snide comments?” Kolya had a sinister smile plastered on his face as he moved closer to her.   
  
Her eyes shot from his face to her thigh as she felt a hand on it – his hand. Her eyes moved back to Kolya. His eyes were dark and clouded with some inexpressible emotion. She was having a hard time breathing. She wanted to leave, to get out. Where was John? Where was the rescue team? Elizabeth struggled against the strong hands of the men holding her down. They pushed their weight on her and she let out a small, frightened whimper. “Please. Don’t.” Elizabeth’s voice was small.   
  
Kolya’s hand moved up her thigh to her hip and then under her shirt. His hand was coarse, rough. “Relax Doctor Weir.” But somehow, he wasn’t reassuring.   
  
_He ran down the stairs, almost colliding into someone, before taking off down another hall. His hands were clenched as he ran. He couldn’t escape – couldn’t escape the thoughts._    
  
The ripping of her t-shirt seemed to reach the farthest corners of the room and the cool air that touched her exposed skin caused her to shiver. Her eyes were closed tightly. There was no where she could look. If she looked down she would see Kolya with the animalistic look on his face. If she looked up there were the guards who watched with amusement. And on either side she could see the shadows of the entire scene – the three men towering over her while she lay spread out on the table. So she shut her eyes and tried to travel somewhere in her mind that wasn’t here, wasn’t now. Her only thoughts being ‘John… where are you?”   
  
Rough hands were back on her skin. They moved up to her bra and after a moment of trying to reach under the cup, they retracted. Seconds later something cold and metallic was on her skin – a knife. She cringed as it trailed lightly over her belly and then – she inhaled. Her bra had been cut away and her breasts were free from their confines.   
  
His hands were back again on her breasts, tugging and pulling greedily on her nipples. It hurt and she clenched her teeth as his mouth found one of them and bit. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction, she wouldn’t. “Ah!” As much as she had tried, she couldn’t help but cry out from the pain.   
  
_John made a sharp turn and double-back the way he came from. He didn’t know where he was going, only that he had to keep moving or else the thoughts would catch up, would haunt him._    
  
She was grateful when his hands left her chest, only to wish they would go back when she felt the tugging and pulling at her pants. “No…” She whispered, but all she got in return was a cruel chuckle as her pants were wrenched off of her along with her underwear leaving her practically exposed.   
  
She stayed like that for what seemed like forever. Elizabeth was too frightened to open her eyes to see where or what Kolya was doing. And nothing happened, nothing until his rough hands were bad on her – on her sex. His fingers assaulted the folds of her sex. Her body was betraying her – getting wetter – causing another obscene laugh to emanate from the back of Kolya’s throat. “Stop.” But this urged him on more, his fingers entering her roughly, unceremoniously. In and out, in and out, in and out.   
  
_John turned the corner and double-timed the stairs. Sweat began to bead at the nape of his neck and his chest heaved from the lack of oxygen. But he continued to run, barrelling through the numb pain that was starting to mount up in his chest._    
  
Elizabeth exhaled slightly when Kolya’s hands finally left here. The sides of her face were already wet with tears. Even though she had tried to hold them back, they had come and were compelled more by the quiet laughter from the two soldiers who watched and did nothing to help her.   
  
Suddenly the sound of more clothing being removed made Elizabeth hold her breath. The sound of clothing hitting the cement floor echoed in her head and then everything happened so fast.   
  
The soldiers let go of her and sudden the horridly familiar rough hands were on her instead. They squeezed her triceps hard enough to cause her to open her eyes from the pain. Kolya’s menacing face loomed over her with beastly smile on his lips. Her eyes widened as she felt him – his length – push against her and the invade her. Kolya groaned as he pushed all the way into her. There was no warmth, no feeling behind the action. Only cruelty. Only the intent to hurt, to damage. He thrusted hard and deep into her over, and over again. His hips colliding together with hers as she cried, cried for someone to come find her, cried for it to be over, cried for it all to stop. And then Kolya’s body seized and -   
  
_John ended up running into his room. He hunched over, heaving, trying to catch his breath. Suddenly he stood up and kicked the wall, his hands moving at the bookcase and toppling it over before he slammed his fists into the wall. “Dammit!”_  
  
\-----   
It had been a little over a week now since Colonel Bennett ordered the teams to continue their previously scheduled missions with only their secondary objective to finding Doctor Weir. Even just the thought of it as a ‘secondary mission’ caused Major Sheppard to want to shoot someone. How could the retrieval of an expedition member, especially someone important like its leader, become a secondary objective? It made his blood boil.   
  
John rounded passed the entrance of the mess hall, stopped, and double-backed to the entrance. McKay was sitting down by himself with a heap load of food on his tray and a cup of blue Jello beside it. He was hunched over the food, eating it as if it were his last meal. John made a face before stepping over the threshold and heading towards Rodney’s table.   
  
Rodney glanced up idly as John sat down on the other side of the table. “Ah, Sheppard.” He said in between chews of what John could only image was supposed to be roast beef. John watched him for a little longer until he got tired of watching him stuff his face.   
  
“Going to come up for air anytime soon Rodney?”   
  
“Wha-? Oh. Yeah.” Rodney finished the bread that was in his hand, swallowed, and then looked at Sheppard curiously. “Aren’t you supposed to be meeting with Colonel Bennett about new rotations or something?”   
  
“I was,” John glanced out the large window the one of the tall piers of Atlantis before bringing his attention back to Rodney, “Aren’t you supposed to be in your lab trying to find Elizabeth?”   
  
Rodney seemed to stop breathing for a second and he grew a little pale before his eyes dropped to the left-overs on his plate as he pushed the mashed potatoes around with his fork. “Uh, actually. [size=75]I’ve stopped trying.[/size]” Rodney mumbled the last part.   
  
“What?”   
  
Rodney waited a beat before looking at Sheppard, “I stopped looking.” Rodney saw the flash of outrage cross John’s eyes and he gestured at his friend in an explanation, “There’s nothing else I can do. Believe me, I’ve tried. If I could find the answer with the data I have, I would have by now!”   
  
“So what?” John leaned towards Rodney with his hands on the table, “You’re just giving up?”   
  
“No! I just… –”   
  
“Rodney, if you were captured, you  _know_  Elizabeth wouldn’t give up on finding you!”   
  
Rodney stammered, but couldn’t form a retort as much as he tried. John didn’t give him a chance to formulate one either.   
  
“I don’t want to hear it!” He slammed his hands on the table as he stood up abruptly, sending his chair backwards and drawing the attention of the other people in the mess hall on the two men. John’s voice was escalating. “You’re all a bunch of hypocrites.”   
  
“Sheppard...”   
  
“Forget it Rodney. I thought you were a good man, but I guess I was wrong.” A brief hint of hurt crossed the major’s eyes before he turned his back on Rodney and left the mess hall.   
  
\-----   
  
Three days. Elizabeth was trying her best at keeping track of when they fed her and when Kolya sent for her. Almost two weeks now since she had been brought here and no indication that Atlantis was looking for her, but she held out hope – there was nothing else she could do. If she let herself believe that no one was looking for her, she didn’t know what she’d do.   
  
The faint sound of footsteps approaching caught Doctor Weir’s attention. Carefully she moved around in the dark cell and pressed herself up against the wall next to the door. She tried to steady her breathing as the footsteps got closer and closer and then they stopped and Elizabeth held her breath. Moments later the rattle of keys sounded and the door was opened a crack. She waited and watched. The shadow that stretched across the illuminated floor on her cell paused at the entrance then took a careful step forward into the cell.   
  
It was now or never. Elizabeth swung her hands down on the man’s back as hard as she could. The soldier toppled forward, groaning out of the surprise and the pain. Elizabeth took this opportunity to step over the stunned guard and pull the door to her cell shut from the outside. Her eyes were wide as she quickly scanned the hallway for any more Genii soldiers before taking off in an arbitrary direction. Her bare feet padded loudly along the empty, cold, concrete floor as she tried to ignore the pain in her hands – she hadn’t expected the blow to hurt as much as it did. But it didn’t matter. Once she got out, escaped, Carson would make it better. All she had to do now was get out.   
  
She turned a corner wide and came to a screeching halt as she stared at two Genii soldiers who were doing their rounds. It took a moment for any of the three to react and then one of the soldiers reached for his gun.   
  
Elizabeth turned and retreated down the hallway she had just come from, glancing back only to confirm that the two men were now chasing her with their guns drawn. The sound of a gun being fire gave Elizabeth enough warning to duck her head as a bullet flew passed her and into the wall. She wasn’t thinking strategically beyond not getting shot, but when she veered around the next corner she was brought to a halt as she stared at the bewildered soldier who was letting his colleague out of her cell.   
  
She panicked and froze and before she could think about what to do next, she was hit on the back of the head by a blunt, metal object. Everything went dark.   
  
\-----   
  
Colonel Bennett sat in what was formally known as Doctor Weir’s office debriefing two marines when John Sheppard briskly walked across the bridge and into the office without announcing himself. Colonel Bennett paused in mid-speech and turned to look at the obvious bother major before turning back to the two marines and uttering a ‘dismissed.’   
  
Once the marines were out of the office, Colonel Bennett leaned back in the chair – Elizabeth’s chair – and clasped his hands in his lap. “Is there anything I can do for you Major?”   
  
_”I’m very disappointed in your Doctor Weir.”_    
  
“Yes, sir.”   
  
Colonel Bennett gestured to one of the two chairs opposite his own on the other side of the immaculately kept desk. “Have a seat.”   
  
John didn’t take a seat.   
  
Colonel Bennett eyed the man and said in a tone that was more of an order than a request, “Please.”   
  
Sheppard hesitated, but ultimately took a seat. He sat on the edge of the chair, his elbows resting on his thighs as he leaned forward.   
  
“What can I do for you, Major Sheppard?”   
  
_”You should have known better than to escape.”_    
  
“I’d like for you to authorize my team to go through the gate to M7Y-1P9.”   
  
Colonel Bennett listened and raised a curious eyebrow, “and why can’t Sergeant Stackhouse’s team do it? They are the ones scheduled for the mission.”   
  
John fidgeted in his seat. “Because.” Even he knew that was a horrible answer, but it was all he got.   
  
Colonel Bennett leaned forward, placing his hands on the desk and sighed. Then he shook his head. “M7Y-1P9 is a known Genii occupied world.” John looked up at the Colonel – if he already knew the real reason, why even ask.   
  
“Yeah?” John was playing dumb. However Colonel Bennett knew better.   
  
“I’m sorry Major, but request denied."   
  
“Why?” John was trying to control himself, but he was starting to lose control.   
  
“Your recent history with the Genii compromises your ability to think clearly. I’m sorry.”   
  
_”You see, now you’ve embarrassed my men. And they don’t like to be embarrassed.”_    
  
“This is bullshit!” John was up and out of his seat as he blurted the comment to his superior officer.   
  
Colonel Bennett also stood quickly at Major Sheppard’s outburst. “Calm down Major Sheppard.” His voice was stern.   
  
“Calm down?” John scoffed, “You’re unbelievable. This whole thing is unbelievable!”   
  
The Colonel was aware of the security personnel who stood outside his door ready to intervene on his signal, but he didn’t signal for them. He understood Major Sheppard’s anger and he was determined to try and calm the man down himself. His voice was filled with warning, “I appreciate your thoughts on the subject matter Major, but right now I have to ask you to leave.”   
  
John paced around the room a little bit, agitated, and the stopped and pointed accusingly at Colonel Bennett. “Who are you,  _really_.”   
  
“Major, that could be interpreted as insubordination.”   
  
_“So now, Doctor Weir, you’ve put me in a rather awkward situation. I need to make my men feel better. Now how do you propose I can do that, hmm?”_    
  
“You’re damn right it could.” John motioned for his side-arm, but the security officers were on him before he could remove it from its holster. John wasn’t about to back down without a fight. He pushed one of the men forcefully off of his arm, sending him over the chair and onto the ground. His hand swung around at the second officer, hitting him squarely in the nose with his fist. The first officer was back up and struggled to get a hold of John’s flailing arm.   
  
“Get a hold of yourself Major Sheppard!”   
  
But John wasn’t listening. He merely continued to struggle with the two officers, an arm or hand getting free and flinging defiantly at the opposite man until the sound of a Wraith stunner sounded and John felt the familiar energy weapon hit him. He slowly descended to the ground and could faintly here Colonel Bennett, “Good Job Lieutenant Ford. Take him to the brig.”   
  
“Y-Yessir.”   
  
Then everything went blank for John.   
  
\-----   
  
Over two weeks now, maybe three. Elizabeth’s mind was playing tricks on her as she sat, huddled, against the wall in her prison. Every once in a while she swore she could hear the sound of a ship or the sounds of P-90 fire, but it was always so faint, so far away and then it would disappear. Every time the door would open, Elizabeth’s heart would skip a beat. Sometimes she could see John in the door way. But it was never him. It was always some Genii soldier ready to cart her off to Kolya.   
  
Her ego, among other things, had been bruised when she was caught escaping and ever since then they were always more cautious when retrieving her from her cell. She hadn’t given up, not yet. Her mind slowly calculated. She needed a better plan.   
  
The door swung open and two guards blocked the light from spilling into the small room. She was forcibly lifted from her position on the ground and compelled forward by rough, angry hands. Blindfolded again, Elizabeth was again walked slowly down the quiet halls.   
  
Suddenly she ‘tripped,’ her body lurching forward and surprising the two men holding her. She felt their grips loosen and she swung her elbow around with her body weight. One of the men shouted out as she made contact with his face. Her hand then swung around the other way, but was caught by the forearm. Instinctively Elizabeth kicked out her leg at the man, connecting right between the legs which caused a gurgle sound to come from the soldier.   
  
She pulled her blindfold down, her eyes on the two men who were incapacitated at the moment before swivelling around and running right into the burly chest of Kolya. Her eyes shot up to the domineering face of the Genii commander who seized her by the wrist. She sunk in front of him, shaking her head in a silent please as she tried to wrench herself away from him. Her efforts proved futile.   
  
“How very disappointing Doctor Weir.” His grip on her wrist tightened, causing her knees to buckle slightly under the pain – any harder and he would have broken her wrist   
  
“Please… I’m sorry.” She looked up at him, pleading. Any normal human being would have been swayed by compassion, but Kolya never faltered.   
  
“I’m afraid this time, Doctor Weir, I will not be so… forgiving.” Kolya brought up his free hand and brought it down on Elizabeth, knocking her out.   
  
\-----   
  
Sheppard watched as the lights of the brig flashed and the door slowly opened. Two security officers stood respectfully enough away for John to feel like he was free, but close enough to remind him to behave. He had been kept there for several days to ‘cool off’ as Colonel Bennett had put it and now he was making his obligatory visit with Doctor Kate Heightmeyer.   
  
She was sitting in her usual chair beside the large, panoramic windows of her office and offered John a pleasant smile. He tried to return it, but the smile came out bitter instead. Once he had taken his seat, Doctor Heightmeyer waved off the officers who nodded and stepped outside leaving the two of them alone.   
  
They sat in silence for a few minutes while Kate watched John carefully. John felt uncomfortable sitting in front of the doctor and it was clear from his fidgeting that he was anxious. He shot a glance at her. “What?”   
  
Kate was a little taken aback but John’s abruptness, but quickly composed herself and put on her professional mask. “You seem… agitated.”   
  
“Gee, I wonder why?” His sarcasm level was off the roof. His head sagged and he rubbed the back of his neck absently.   
  
A small crease formed on Kate Heightmeyer’s forehead as she leaned forward, “You miss Elizabeth.”   
  
John looked up with indignation. “Of course I do. She’s a valuable member of this expedition and she’s  _missing_.” He sat up, folding his arms over his chest. “Quite frankly, I find it ridiculous no one else is as upset as I am.”   
  
“We all miss her John.”   
  
John’s eyes hardened as he looked over at the psychiatrist. “You say that like she’s dead.”   
  
Kate brought her hands up slightly, “No, I didn’t mean to imply that.”   
  
“Good.” John’s foot was tapping the ground now, “ ‘Cause I’m sick and tired of everything throwing in the towel on her. She’s out there and I’m going to find her.”   
  
Kate took a moment and then replied. “What about the Wraith?”   
  
“Screw the Wraith!”   
  
John doubled-over as his hands went to his face. Doctor Heightmeyer was up and out of her chair in second and walked over to him. “Major Sheppard, what’s wrong?”   
  
“Nothing: just a headache.”   
  
Kate signalled for the officers to enter the room. She gestured to Sheppard, “Please take Major Sheppard to the infirmary.   
  
John waited until they were around the corner before side-stepped, disarming one of the officers before hitting him over the back of the head with the butt of the 9mm he had taken from him. John quickly aimed the gun at the other officer who was in mid-reach for his own weapon.   
  
“Don’t make me shoot you.”   
  
The officer’s hand hovered in place for a moment and then tried for his gun anyways. John squeezed the trigger, sending the bullet forward. It made contact with the officer’s right kneecap and he fell to the ground with a loud scream. John walked over to him, taking the gun and the radio   
  
“I warned you.”   
  
\-----   
  
The table in front of her was no longer filled with food like it usually was. In fact, Elizabeth was pretty sure that the gruel they fed her had gotten worse, if it were possible. Right now she was alone in the large, lit cell waiting. She wondered what she looked like – clad in tattered rags, her lip cut, her left cheek swollen, and her back littered with lash-marks. She had regretted trying a third time to escape – it had resulted in the worse punishment yet and now she sat in the chair, docile.   
  
She reacted little when the brutish Genii command entered the prison, making some snide comment before standing before Elizabeth. Her gaze remained level and she didn’t register, at least outwardly, that Kolya was there. Save for the one tear that escape her lower lid and slide down her dirt-covered cheek, she remained subservient.   
  
With a blank expression, she reached out and grabbed his semi-hard member expectantly and opened her sore mouth.   
  
\-----   
  
“What are you doing, sir?” Bates stood in the doorway of the armoury watching Major Sheppard gearing up even though he knew that Sheppard and his team weren’t scheduled for a mission today. Sheppard looked up absently at Bates for a moment and then continued what he was doing. Bates took a step forward. “Sir.”   
  
“It’s nothing Sergeant.”   
  
Bates folded his hands in front of his abdomen, “I need to ask you to stop, sir.”   
  
“Leave it alone, Bates.” John strapped a 9mm on his right thigh.   
  
“I can’t do that, sir.”   
  
When Bates took another step forward, John aimed the P-90 which had been clipped to the field vest at him. Bates’ hands went up defensively to show he had no gun and took a step back for an added measure. John took a step forward, the barrel of the gun still aimed at Bates.   
  
“I’m going through the gate. I’m tired of waiting around. Elizabeth is out there and I plan on finding her.”   
  
Bates shook his head, “You’ll never get passed the gate room.”   
  
John’s eyes narrowed at him, “Watch me.”   
  
Sheppard moved took a step forward towards the door and noticed Bates move to try and intercept him. John’s reflexes were quick and fast. He grabbed the arm Bates had jutted out, twisted it and then pushed it down. Bates let out a shout of pain when the shoulder popped out of its socket. John maneuvered around Bates and with one single motion shot him with a stunner and then hurried out of the room.   
  
By the time he made it to the jumper bay, Teyla was already waiting for him. He slowed his pace, but continued to get the puddle jumper ready for launch.   
  
“John.” Teyla watched him with a worried expression. When he didn’t respond to her, she tried again, “What are you doing?”   
  
“What does it look like I’m doing?” He shot at her as he entered the puddle jumper, “I’m going to save Elizabeth.”   
  
Teyla had followed him into the ship and offered him a concerned expression, “Is this not against your orders?”   
  
“Screw my orders!” He spit out as the lights on the jumper activated. He stood and looked at Teyla, “I’m leaving so, get out.”   
  
Teyla remained where she was. “Talk to me John. Why are you acting so irrational? I, too, want to see the safe return of Doctor Weir. However I –”   
  
“I love her!” It just… sort of came out. Teyla, for all her composure, stood slightly aghast at his sudden outburst. After a moment of just standing there, he took a seat, exhaled, and ran his hands through his hair. “It just…” He took a breath, “sort of… happened.” He looked up at Teyla with a look that she had never seen before – he was afraid and that chilled her more than she could say.   
  
“I did not know.”   
  
“No one does.” John countered, “I – I don’t even know if Elizabeth knows.” His eyes suddenly became very focused, “I just know I want to get her back. I  _need_  to get her back.”   
  
Teyla didn’t speak for a moment and then took the seat next to his. “Then I shall accompany you on your mission.”   
  
\----   
  
The wormhole connected and moments after the event horizon established itself, the ancient spaceship flew through the gate and cloaked. This was the seventh planet out of the long list Rodney had given them and it was beginning to wear on both Sheppard and Teyla.   
  
The puddle jumper flew over a copious amount of trees before it came across what looked like an abandoned industrial city. John brought up the life-signs detector on the H.U.D. – there were definitely people down there. They flew closer to the ground with only the faint humming of the ship that could give them away.   
  
“There!” John pointed excitedly as two Genii soldiers came out of a door and made their way someplace else. He looked over to Teyla with an expression that showed the first glint of hope in him in a long while.   
  
John landed the jumper as close as he could to the city. He stood and checked to make sure he had everything he needed. Teyla stood as well.   
  
“Stay here.”   
  
Teyla shot him a worried look, “But John –”   
  
“Please.”   
  
“Very well.” She nodded, “If you need me, I shall respond as quickly as I can.”   
  
John muttered a ‘yeah, thanks’ before he exited the jumper, P-90 out in front of him.   
  
\----   
  
How long had it been? Days? Weeks? Months? Elizabeth hadn’t only lost count, she had stopped trying to count a long time ago. Her body ached all over as she lay as still as she could on the cool cement floor back in her dark cell. She had learned to like this cell, yearn for it. Here, in the dark cell, nothing happened. No one came, no one touched her. It was just her and the quiet. In the dark she could forget about her dirt-covered body. In the dark she could forget about the bruises that laden her body. In the dark... she could pretend to forget.   
  
She made no move when the door to her cell opened and the terrible light filtered in over her body clad in rags. It was only when she heard her name did she peer upwards, listlessly.   
  
“Elizabeth?”   
  
The voice seemed far off, unnatural – not there. She was hallucinating again. She didn’t move or acknowledge the figure in front of her until she felt his hands on her. “No!” She screamed. Not here. Not in this cell. She was supposed to be safe here, she was supposed to be able to escape, she was– being embraced.   
  
The forgotten warmth of what it was like to be embraced hit her like a stone of brick and she tried to focus her eyes on the person. Dark hair. Strong, but gentle hands. A comforting scent.   
  
“John?” She barely whispered his name and a fresh batch of tears strewn down her cheeks as he tightened his arms around her reassuringly.   
  
“You’re safe now. I’ll never let anything bad ever to you ever again. I promise.”   
  
They remained like that for a long minute before John pulled away enough for him to look at Elizabeth. Their eyes met and it was the first time Elizabeth realized there was more to the way John looked at her than when they first had met. Behind those confident eyes lay fear – fear for her – and the realization caused Elizabeth Weir to choke back a sob. They were so close to each other, their noses almost touching. It would have taken little effort for either one of them to brush their lips over the other. But instead, John rose and held out his hand.   
  
“Let’s get out of here.”   
  
A small smile, though filled with sorrow, played on the edges of her lips as she reached out for John’s hand. It took her a moment to place her feet once she was pulled to an upright position, but once she was up, she was ready to leave.   
  
\-----   
  
John led the way down the corridors, his P-90 ready in one hand while the other held Elizabeth’s hand tightly as she followed a step behind him. They paused at a corner.   
  
“She’s rested long enough. Go get her.”   
  
The sound of Kolya’s voice made Elizabeth tense and she squeezed John’s hand. He squeezed back and then turned to her. His strong, comforting eyes found hers, “Wait here.” Elizabeth nodded, pressing her back against the wall as if to shrink into the foundation and disappear while John turned the corner.   
  
Kolya’s voice has drifted from a room whose door was opened. After a quick glance to make sure he was the only enemy in the room, John crossed the threshold and closed the distance between him and the Genii.   
  
“Kolya.”   
  
Sheppard’s fist connected with the man’s face as he turned around at the sound of his name. Kolya stumbled backwards, his hand reaching for his split lip while John stared daggers at him, fists clenched by his side. John didn’t wait for a reply. His arm sliced through the air violently, upper-cutting into Kolya’s gut. A smirk crossed John’s baleful face at the groan from the Genii as his hands grabbed Kolya’s head and brought his knee up to meet it.   
  
Elizabeth strained to hear what was going on around the corner. A part of her wanted to look, to watch, but another part of her didn’t, couldn’t. Instead, she focused on the other end of the hallway, watching in case she had to run. Suddenly two shots ran out and Elizabeth’s breath caught. Her body froze. She gasped silently as John’s hand clasped around hers again and began to guide her down the hall.   
  
Her eyes moved over him, studying his face. “Kolya?”   
  
“He’s dead.”   
  
\-----   
  
The soft mechanical sound of the Atlantis doors sounded, announcing John’s entrance into the dimly-lit room. It was late at night, the lights were out, and only illumination came from the night sky. Even so, John could make out the still figure of Elizabeth sitting with her knees hugged to her body with her face turned to the window. He carefully made his way around the bed and took a seat gingerly next to her.   
  
“Shouldn’t you be in the infirmary?” It hadn’t come out accusatory. As far as John was concerned she could do whatever she wanted, but he was worried about her health. While Carson hadn’t told him straight out about how bad Elizabeth’s condition was, he had seen the look on the doctor’s face which had said more than enough. Apart from the visible bruises, there were ones no one could see unless you looked hard enough and Sheppard was doing just that.   
  
“Carson said as long as I rest I could be in my own room.” It had taken her a moment to form the words and to say it. It had come out almost a whisper. Her gaze remained somewhere outside the window.   
  
John’s lips pressed together for a moment. His hand lifted, hesitated for only a moment, before he placed his palm on Elizabeth’s back gently. “I’m sorry Elizabeth. I should have found you sooner.”   
  
Elizabeth turned her head to look at John. In her eyes he could sense that she didn’t blame him and this caused him to reach out and pull her to his chest in an embrace. His hand rested protectively on her head, gently stroking her hair with the tips of his fingers. “I love you, Elizabeth.” 


End file.
